Post date: Aug 08, 2012 2:18:49 PM
AMMAN, JORDAN (AUGUST 8, 2012) (REUTERS) - Defected Syrian Prime Minister Riyad Hijab arrived in Jordan in the early hours of Wednesday morning (August 8), a Jordanian government spokesman said.
Jordan says defected Syrian Prime Minister Riyad Hijab arrived safely across its border early on Wednesday morning, accompanied by some family.
Hijab's flight is the highest level defection of the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and was hailed by the United States as a sign the president was losing his grip as he battles a 17-month insurgency.
"We were told that Ryad Hijab arrived to Jordan in the early hours of today, Wednesday, accompanied by a number of family members," government spokesman, Sameeh Mayta, said.
"Relations between Syria and its neighbouring countries have been strongly affected by the recent crisis, but Jordan cannot turn its back on any Syrian brother coming to Jordan in search for safety and residency under these circumstances. We realise this is an issue, but we are certainly not part of the Syrian conflict and we are not part of what is happening in Syria, so we cannot close our doors to any Syrian citizen that asks for asylum in Jordan."
Opposition activists said Hijab crossed into Jordan on Monday (August 6) from the city of Deraa in southern Syria, but said they retracted their claim on Wednesday after Hijab had secured safe passage to Jordan.